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Jang M, Gupta A, Kovanlikaya A, Scholl JE, Zun Z. High-resolution anatomical imaging of the fetal brain with a reduced field of view using outer volume suppression. Magn Reson Med 2024; 92:1556-1567. [PMID: 38702999 PMCID: PMC11262973 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.30147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To achieve high-resolution fetal brain anatomical imaging without introducing image artifacts by reducing the FOV, and to demonstrate improved image quality compared to conventional full-FOV fetal brain imaging. METHODS Reduced FOV was achieved by applying outer volume suppression (OVS) pulses immediately prior to standard single-shot fast spin echo (SSFSE) imaging. In the OVS preparation, a saturation RF pulse followed by a gradient spoiler was repeated three times with optimized flip-angle weightings and a variable spoiler scheme to enhance signal suppression. Simulations and phantom and in-vivo experiments were performed to evaluate OVS performance. In-vivo high-resolution SSFSE images acquired using the proposed approach were compared with conventional and high-resolution SSFSE images with a full FOV, using image quality scores assessed by neuroradiologists and calculated image metrics. RESULTS Excellent signal suppression in the saturation bands was confirmed in phantom and in-vivo experiments. High-resolution SSFSE images with a reduced FOV acquired using OVS demonstrated the improved depiction of brain structures without significant motion and blurring artifacts. The proposed method showed the highest image quality scores in the criteria of sharpness, contrast, and artifact and was selected as the best method based on overall image quality. The calculated image sharpness and tissue contrast ratio were also the highest with the proposed method. CONCLUSION High-resolution fetal brain anatomical images acquired using a reduced FOV with OVS demonstrated improved image quality both qualitatively and quantitatively, suggesting the potential for enhanced diagnostic accuracy in detecting fetal brain abnormalities in utero.
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Affiliation(s)
- MinJung Jang
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ajay Gupta
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Arzu Kovanlikaya
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jessica E. Scholl
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Zungho Zun
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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2
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Shi H, Prayer F, Kienast P, Khalaveh F, Nasel C, Binder J, Watzenboeck ML, Weber M, Prayer D, Kasprian G. Multiparametric prenatal imaging characterization of fetal brain edema in Chiari II malformation might help to select candidates for fetal surgery. Eur Radiol 2024; 34:6384-6395. [PMID: 38656710 PMCID: PMC11399183 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-024-10729-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify brain edema in fetuses with Chiari II malformation using a multiparametric approach including structural T2-weighted, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics, and MRI-based radiomics. METHODS A single-center retrospective review of MRI scans obtained in fetuses with Chiari II was performed. Brain edema cases were radiologically identified using the following MR criteria: brain parenchymal T2 prolongation, blurring of lamination, and effacement of external CSF spaces. Fractional anisotropy (FA) values were calculated from regions of interest (ROI), including hemispheric parenchyma, internal capsule, and corticospinal tract, and compared group-wise. After 1:1 age matching and manual single-slice 2D segmentation of the fetal brain parenchyma using ITK-Snap, radiomics features were extracted using pyradiomics. Areas under the curve (AUCs) of the features regarding discriminating subgroups were calculated. RESULTS Ninety-one fetuses with Chiari II underwent a total of 101 MRI scans at a median gestational age of 24.4 weeks and were included. Fifty scans were visually classified as Chiari II with brain edema group and showed significantly reduced external CSF spaces compared to the nonedema group (9.8 vs. 18.3 mm, p < 0.001). FA values of all used ROIs were elevated in the edema group (p < 0.001 for all ROIs). The 10 most important radiomics features showed an AUC of 0.81 (95%CI: 0.71, 0.91) for discriminating between Chiari II fetuses with and without edema. CONCLUSIONS Brain edema in fetuses with Chiari II is common and radiologically detectable on T2-weighted fetal MRI sequences, and DTI-based FA values and radiomics features provide further evidence of microstructure differences between subgroups with and without edema. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT A more severe phenotype of fetuses with Chiari II malformation is characterized by prenatal brain edema and more postnatal clinical morbidity and disability. Fetal brain edema is a promising prenatal MR imaging biomarker candidate for optimizing the risk-benefit evaluation of selection for fetal surgery. KEY POINTS Brain edema of fetuses prenatally diagnosed with Chiari II malformation is a common, so far unknown, association. DTI metrics and radiomics confirm microstructural differences between the brains of Chiari II fetuses with and without edema. Fetal brain edema may explain worse motor outcomes in this Chiari II subgroup, who may substantially benefit from fetal surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Shi
- Department of Radiology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No. 253, Industrial Road, Guangzhou, China
| | - Florian Prayer
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Patric Kienast
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Farjad Khalaveh
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian Nasel
- Department of Radiology (Diagnostic and Interventional) (C.N.), University Hospital Tulln - Karl Landsteiner Private University of Health Sciences, Alter Ziegelweg 10, 3430, Tulln, Austria
| | - Julia Binder
- Department of Obstetrics and Feto-maternal Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin L Watzenboeck
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Weber
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniela Prayer
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gregor Kasprian
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
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Sofia C, Aertsen M, Garel C, Cassart M. Standardised and structured reporting in fetal magnetic resonance imaging: recommendations from the Fetal Task Force of the European Society of Paediatric Radiology. Pediatr Radiol 2024; 54:1566-1578. [PMID: 39085531 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-024-06010-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Over the last decades, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has emerged as a valuable adjunct to prenatal ultrasound for evaluating fetal malformations. Several radiological societies advocate for standardised and structured reporting practices to enhance the uniformity of imaging language. Compared to narrative formats, standardised and structured reports offer enhanced content quality, minimise reader variability, have the potential to save reporting time, and streamline the communication between specialists by employing a shared lexicon. Structured reporting holds promise for mitigating medico-legal liability, while also facilitating rigorous scientific data analyses and the development of standardised databases. While structured reporting templates for fetal MRI are already in use in some centres, specific recommendations and/or guidelines from international societies are scarce in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to propose a standardised and structured reporting template for fetal MRI to assist radiologists, particularly those with less experience, in delivering systematic reports. Additionally, the paper aims to offer an overview of the anatomical structures that necessitate reporting and the prevalent normative values for fetal biometrics found in current literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmelo Sofia
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Morphologic and Functional Imaging, University of Messina, Policlinico "G. Martino", Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98100, Messina, Italy.
| | - Michael Aertsen
- Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Katholieke Universiteit (KU), Louvain, Belgium
| | - Catherine Garel
- Department of Radiology, Armand-Trousseau Hospital, APHP, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Marie Cassart
- Department of Radiology and Fetal Medicine, Iris South Hospitals, Brussels, Belgium
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Haj Yahya R, Roman A, Grant S, Whitehead CL. Antenatal screening for fetal structural anomalies - Routine or targeted practice? Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol 2024; 96:102521. [PMID: 38997900 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2024.102521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
Antenatal screening with ultrasound identifies fetal structural anomalies in 3-6% of pregnancies. Identification of anomalies during pregnancy provides an opportunity for counselling, targeted imaging, genetic testing, fetal intervention and delivery planning. Ultrasound is the primary modality for imaging the fetus in pregnancy, but magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is evolving as an adjunctive tool providing additional structural and functional information. Screening should start from the first trimester when more than 50% of severe defects can be detected. The mid-trimester ultrasound balances the benefits of increased fetal growth and development to improve detection rates, whilst still providing timely management options. A routine third trimester ultrasound may detect acquired anomalies or those missed earlier in pregnancy but may not be available in all settings. Targeted imaging by fetal medicine experts improves detection in high-risk pregnancies or when an anomaly has been detected, allowing accurate phenotyping, access to advanced genetic testing and expert counselling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rani Haj Yahya
- Department of Fetal Medicine, The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Australia; Perinatal Research Group, Dept. Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Newborn, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
| | - Alina Roman
- Department of Fetal Medicine, The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Australia.
| | - Steven Grant
- Department of Fetal Medicine, The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Australia.
| | - Clare L Whitehead
- Department of Fetal Medicine, The Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Australia; Perinatal Research Group, Dept. Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Newborn, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
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Cabezas M, Diez Y, Martinez-Diago C, Maroto A. A benchmark for 2D foetal brain ultrasound analysis. Sci Data 2024; 11:923. [PMID: 39181905 PMCID: PMC11344807 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03774-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Brain development involves a sequence of structural changes from early stages of the embryo until several months after birth. Currently, ultrasound is the established technique for screening due to its ability to acquire dynamic images in real-time without radiation and to its cost-efficiency. However, identifying abnormalities remains challenging due to the difficulty in interpreting foetal brain images. In this work we present a set of 104 2D foetal brain ultrasound images acquired during the 20th week of gestation that have been co-registered to a common space from a rough skull segmentation. The images are provided both on the original space and template space centred on the ellipses of all the subjects. Furthermore, the images have been annotated to highlight landmark points from structures of interest to analyse brain development. Both the final atlas template with probabilistic maps and the original images can be used to develop new segmentation techniques, test registration approaches for foetal brain ultrasound, extend our work to longitudinal datasets and to detect anomalies in new images.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariano Cabezas
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Yago Diez
- Faculty Of Science, Yamagata University, Yamagata, Japan
| | | | - Anna Maroto
- Hospital Universitari de Girona Doctor Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain
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Shi H, Prayer D, Kienast P, Khalaveh F, Tischer J, Binder J, Weber M, Stuempflen M, Kasprian G. Revisiting the Pathophysiology of Intracranial Hemorrhage in Fetuses with Chiari II Malformation: Novel Imaging Biomarkers of Disease Severity? AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2024:ajnr.A8331. [PMID: 38719608 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a8331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) has emerged as a notable concern in Chiari II malformation (CM II), yet its origins and clinical implications remain elusive. This study aims to validate the in utero prevalence of ICH in CM II and investigate contributing factors, and visualize the findings in a network format. MATERIALS AND METHODS A single-center retrospective review of fetal MRI scans obtained in fetuses with CM II (presenting January 2007 to December 2022) was performed for ICH utilizing EPI-T2* blood-sensitive sequence. Fetuses with aqueduct stenosis (AS) were included as a control group. The incidence of ICH and corresponding gestational ages were compared between CM II and AS cases, and morphometric measurements (inner/outer CSF spaces, posterior fossa, venous structure) were compared among the 4 1:1 age-matched groups: CM II+ICH, CM II-ICH, AS+ICH, and AS-ICH. Additionally, a co-occurrence network was constructed to visualize associations between phenotypic features in ICH cases. RESULTS A total of 101 fetuses with CM II and 90 controls with AS at a median gestational age of 24.4 weeks and 22.8 weeks (P = .138) were included. Prevalence of ICH in fetuses with CM II was higher compared with the AS cases (28.7% versus 18.9%, P = .023), accompanied by congested veins (deep vein congestion mainly in young fetuses, and cortical veins may also be affected in older fetuses). ICH was notably correlated with specific anatomic features, essentially characterized by reduced outer CSF spaces and clivus-supraocciput angle. The co-occurrence network analysis reveals complex connections including bony defects, small posterior fossa dimensions, vermis ectopia, reduced CSF spaces, as well as venous congestion and venous sinus stenosis as pivotal components within the network. CONCLUSIONS The high prevalence of ICH-detected by fetal MRI-among fetuses with CM emphasizes the pathophysiologic importance of venous congestion, ICH, and vasogenic edema. As indicators of disease severity, these features may serve as helpful additional imaging biomarkers for the identification of potential candidates for fetal surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Shi
- From the Department of Radiology (H.S.), Zhu Jiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Daniela Prayer
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy (D.P., P.K., J.T., M.W., M.S., G.K.), Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Patric Kienast
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy (D.P., P.K., J.T., M.W., M.S., G.K.), Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Farjad Khalaveh
- Department of Neurosurgery (F.K.), Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Johannes Tischer
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy (D.P., P.K., J.T., M.W., M.S., G.K.), Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Binder
- Department of Obstetrics and Feto-maternal Medicine (J.B.), Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Weber
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy (D.P., P.K., J.T., M.W., M.S., G.K.), Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marlene Stuempflen
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy (D.P., P.K., J.T., M.W., M.S., G.K.), Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gregor Kasprian
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy (D.P., P.K., J.T., M.W., M.S., G.K.), Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Zamłyński M, Zhemela O, Olejek A. Isolated Fetal Ventriculomegaly: Diagnosis and Treatment in the Prenatal Period. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:957. [PMID: 39201892 PMCID: PMC11352226 DOI: 10.3390/children11080957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024]
Abstract
Fetal ventriculomegaly (VM) is a defect of the central nervous system, typically diagnosed during the second-trimester ultrasound in fetuses with an atrial diameter (AD) of >10 mm. Non-isolated ventriculomegaly (NIVM) is heterogeneous in nature, coexisting with additional intracranial and/or extracranial malformations and genetic syndromes, resulting in an unfavorable prognosis for the further development of the child. Both the pregnancy management and counseling are dependent on the findings of combined ultrasound/MRI, genetic testing, and gestational age at diagnosis. The purpose of this review is to propose a hypothesis that diagnostic advancements allow to define the process of identification of the isolated forms of VM (IVM). Based on the evidence presented in the literature, we consider whether prenatal decompression for severe isolated VM (ISVM) is supported by the experimental trials and whether it might be implemented in clinical practice. Also, we describe the evolution of the diagnostic methods and expert opinions about the previously used prenatal decompression techniques for ISVM. In conclusion, we introduce the idea that fetal surgery centers have either reached or nearly reached the necessary level of expertise to perform such procedures. Endoscopic cystoventriculostomy (ETV) appears to be the most promising, as it is associated with minimal perinatal complications and favorable neurological outcomes in the neonatal period. Randomized trials with long-term neurodevelopmental follow-up of children who underwent prenatal decompression due to ISVM are necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Zamłyński
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Oncological Gynecology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Stefana Batorego 15, 41-902 Bytom, Poland;
| | - Olena Zhemela
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, 79010 Lviv, Ukraine;
| | - Anita Olejek
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Oncological Gynecology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Stefana Batorego 15, 41-902 Bytom, Poland;
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Cundari G, Galea N, Di Mascio D, Gennarini M, Ventriglia F, Curti F, Dodaro M, Rizzo G, Catalano C, Giancotti A, Manganaro L. The New Frontiers of Fetal Imaging: MRI Insights into Cardiovascular and Thoracic Structures. J Clin Med 2024; 13:4598. [PMID: 39200740 PMCID: PMC11354430 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13164598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2024] [Revised: 08/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) represents a second-line imaging modality that provides multiparametric and multiplanar views that are crucial for confirming diagnoses, detecting associated pathologies, and resolving inconclusive ultrasound findings. The introduction of high-field magnets and new imaging sequences has expanded MRI's role in pregnancy management. Recent innovations in ECG-gating techniques have revolutionized the prenatal evaluation of congenital heart disease by synchronizing imaging with the fetal heartbeat, thus addressing traditional challenges in cardiac imaging. Fetal cardiac MRI (fCMR) is particularly valuable for assessing congenital heart diseases, especially when ultrasound is limited by poor imaging conditions. fCMR allows for detailed anatomical and functional evaluation of the heart and great vessels and is also useful for diagnosing additional anomalies and analyzing blood flow patterns, which can aid in understanding abnormal fetal brain growth and placental perfusion. This review emphasizes fMRI's potential in evaluating cardiac and thoracic structures, including various gating techniques like metric optimized gating, self-gating, and Doppler ultrasound gating. The review also covers the use of static and cine images for structural and functional assessments and discusses advanced techniques like 4D-flow MRI and T1 or T2 mapping for comprehensive flow quantification and tissue characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Cundari
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy; (G.C.); (N.G.); (M.G.); (F.C.); (M.D.); (C.C.); (L.M.)
| | - Nicola Galea
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy; (G.C.); (N.G.); (M.G.); (F.C.); (M.D.); (C.C.); (L.M.)
| | - Daniele Di Mascio
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy; (D.D.M.); (F.V.); (G.R.)
| | - Marco Gennarini
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy; (G.C.); (N.G.); (M.G.); (F.C.); (M.D.); (C.C.); (L.M.)
| | - Flavia Ventriglia
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy; (D.D.M.); (F.V.); (G.R.)
| | - Federica Curti
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy; (G.C.); (N.G.); (M.G.); (F.C.); (M.D.); (C.C.); (L.M.)
| | - Martina Dodaro
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy; (G.C.); (N.G.); (M.G.); (F.C.); (M.D.); (C.C.); (L.M.)
| | - Giuseppe Rizzo
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy; (D.D.M.); (F.V.); (G.R.)
| | - Carlo Catalano
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy; (G.C.); (N.G.); (M.G.); (F.C.); (M.D.); (C.C.); (L.M.)
| | - Antonella Giancotti
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy; (D.D.M.); (F.V.); (G.R.)
| | - Lucia Manganaro
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy; (G.C.); (N.G.); (M.G.); (F.C.); (M.D.); (C.C.); (L.M.)
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George E, Jaimes C, Xu D, Kasprian G, Glenn OA. How to Perform Fetal MR Imaging. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am 2024; 32:443-457. [PMID: 38944433 DOI: 10.1016/j.mric.2024.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
This article provides the readers with practical guidance on how to perform fetal MR imaging, including technical considerations such as scanner field strength and use of appropriate radiofrequency receive coils, and summarizes the role, strengths, and limitations of the various MR imaging sequences. The authors review the various factors to consider in scan preparation, including study indication, timing, maternal preparation, and the creation of an institutional fetal imaging protocol. Additional factors that go into scan optimization during acquisition including prioritizing maternal comfort and ways to troubleshoot various artifacts that maybe encountered in fetal imaging are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth George
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, 505 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
| | - Camilo Jaimes
- Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Duan Xu
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, 1700 4th Street BH303B, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Gregor Kasprian
- Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-21, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Orit A Glenn
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, 505 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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Juan Z, Cuixia G, Yuanjie C, Yan L, Ling Y, Tiejuan Z, Li W, Jijing H, Guohui Z, Yousheng Y, Qingqing W, Lijuan S. Optimal prenatal genetic diagnostic approach for posterior fossa malformation: karyotyping, copy number variant testing, or whole-exome sequencing? Eur J Med Res 2024; 29:397. [PMID: 39085968 PMCID: PMC11290165 DOI: 10.1186/s40001-024-01993-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Posterior fossa malformation (PFM) is a relatively uncommon prenatal brain malformation. Genetic diagnostic approaches, including chromosome karyotyping, copy number variant (CNV) testing, and whole-exome sequencing (WES), have been applied in several cases of fetal structural malformations. However, the clinical value of appropriate genetic diagnostic approaches for different types of PFMs has not been confirmed. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to analyze the value of different combined genetic diagnostic approaches for various types of fetal PFMs. METHODS This retrospective study was conducted at Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital. Fifty-one pregnant women diagnosed with fetal PFMs who underwent genetic testing in our hospital from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2022 were enrolled; women with an isolated enlarged cisterna magna were excluded. All participants were categorized into two groups according to the presence of other abnormalities: isolated and non-isolated PFMs groups. Different combined approaches, including karyotype analysis, CNV testing, and trio-based WES, were used for genetic analysis. The detection rates of karyotype analysis, CNV testing, and WES were measured in the isolated and non-isolated groups. RESULTS In isolated PFMs, pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) CNVs were detected in four cases (36.36%, 4/11), whereas G-banding karyotyping and WES showed negative results. In non-isolated PFMs, a sequential genetic approach showed a detection rate of 47.5% (19/40); karyotyping revealed aneuploidies in five cases (16.67%, 5/30), CNV testing showed P/LP CNVs in five cases (16.13%, 5/31), and WES identified P/LP variants (in genes CEP20, TMEM67, OFD1, PTPN11, ARID1A, and SMARCA4) in nine cases (40.91%, 9/22). WES showed a detection rate of 83.33% (5/6) in fetuses with Joubert syndrome. Only six patients (five with Blake's pouch cyst and one with unilateral cerebellar hemisphere dysplasia) survived. CONCLUSIONS We recommend CNV testing for fetuses with isolated PFMs. A sequential genetic approach (karyotyping, CNV testing, and WES) may be beneficial in fetuses with non-isolated PFMs. Particularly, we recommend WES as the first-line genetic diagnostic tool for Joubert syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhang Juan
- Department of Ultrasound, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, No. 251 Yaojiayuan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100026, China
| | - Guo Cuixia
- Department of Ultrasound, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, No. 251 Yaojiayuan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100026, China
| | - Cui Yuanjie
- Department of Ultrasound, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, No. 251 Yaojiayuan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100026, China
| | - Liu Yan
- Prenatal Diagnostic Center, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, No. 251 Yaojiayuan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100026, China
| | - Yao Ling
- Department of Ultrasound, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, No. 251 Yaojiayuan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100026, China
| | - Zhang Tiejuan
- Department of Ultrasound, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, No. 251 Yaojiayuan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100026, China
| | - Wang Li
- Department of Ultrasound, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, No. 251 Yaojiayuan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100026, China
| | - Han Jijing
- Department of Ultrasound, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, No. 251 Yaojiayuan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100026, China
| | - Zhang Guohui
- Department of Ultrasound, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, No. 251 Yaojiayuan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100026, China
| | - Yan Yousheng
- Prenatal Diagnostic Center, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, No. 251 Yaojiayuan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100026, China
| | - Wu Qingqing
- Department of Ultrasound, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, No. 251 Yaojiayuan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100026, China.
| | - Sun Lijuan
- Department of Ultrasound, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, No. 251 Yaojiayuan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100026, China.
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11
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Milos RI, Schmidbauer V, Watzenboeck ML, Stuhr F, Gruber GM, Mitter C, Dovjak GO, Milković-Periša M, Kostovic I, Jovanov-Milošević N, Kasprian G, Prayer D. T1-weighted fast fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery sequence (T1-FFLAIR) enables the visualization and quantification of fetal brain myelination in utero. Eur Radiol 2024; 34:4573-4584. [PMID: 38019312 PMCID: PMC11213743 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-023-10401-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate the advantage of T1-weighted fast fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery MRI sequence without (T1-FFLAIR) and with compressed sensing technology (T1-FFLAIR-CS), which shows improved T1-weighted contrast, over standard used T1-weighted fast field echo (T1-FFE) sequence for the assessment of fetal myelination. MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective single-center study included 115 consecutive fetal brain MRI examinations (63 axial and 76 coronal, mean gestational age (GA) 28.56 ± 5.23 weeks, range 19-39 weeks). Two raters, blinded to GA, qualitatively assessed a fetal myelin total score (MTS) on each T1-weighted sequence at five brain regions (medulla oblongata, pons, mesencephalon, thalamus, central region). One rater performed region-of-interest quantitative analysis (n = 61) at the same five brain regions. Pearson correlation analysis was applied for correlation of MTS and of the signal intensity ratios (relative to muscle) with GA on each T1-weighted sequence. Fetal MRI-based results were compared with myelination patterns of postmortem fetal human brains (n = 46; GA 18 to 42), processed by histological and immunohistochemical analysis. RESULTS MTS positively correlated with GA on all three sequences (all r between 0.802 and 0.908). The signal intensity ratios measured at the five brain regions correlated best with GA on T1-FFLAIR (r between 0.583 and 0.785). T1-FFLAIR demonstrated significantly better correlations with GA than T1-FFE for both qualitative and quantitative analysis (all p < 0.05). Furthermore, T1-FFLAIR enabled the best visualization of myelinated brain structures when compared to histology. CONCLUSION T1-FFLAIR outperforms the standard T1-FFE sequence in the visualization of fetal brain myelination, as demonstrated by qualitative and quantitative methods. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT T1-weighted fast fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery sequence (T1-FFLAIR) provided best visualization and quantification of myelination in utero that, in addition to the relatively short acquisition time, makes feasible its routine application in fetal MRI for the assessment of brain myelination. KEY POINTS • So far, the assessment of fetal myelination in utero was limited due to the insufficient contrast. • T1-weighted fast fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery sequence allows a qualitative and quantitative assessment of fetal brain myelination. • T1-weighted fast fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery sequence outperforms the standard used T1-weighted sequence for visualization and quantification of myelination in utero.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruxandra-Iulia Milos
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Victor Schmidbauer
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin L Watzenboeck
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Friedrich Stuhr
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerlinde Maria Gruber
- Department of Anatomy and Biomechanics, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, 3500, Krems, Austria
| | - Christian Mitter
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gregor O Dovjak
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marija Milković-Periša
- Department of Pathology and Cytology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Petrova 13, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivica Kostovic
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Nataša Jovanov-Milošević
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Biology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Gregor Kasprian
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniela Prayer
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
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12
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Agarwal S, Venkatesan C, Vollmer B, Scelsa B, Lemmon ME, Pardo AC, Mulkey SB, Tarui T, Dadhwal V, Scher M, Hart AR, Gano D. Fetal Cerebral Ventriculomegaly: A Narrative Review and Practical Recommendations for Pediatric Neurologists. Pediatr Neurol 2024; 156:119-127. [PMID: 38761643 DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2024.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Fetal cerebral ventriculomegaly is one of the most common fetal neurological disorders identified prenatally by neuroimaging. The challenges in the evolving landscape of conditions like fetal cerebral ventriculomegaly involve accurate diagnosis and how best to provide prenatal counseling regarding prognosis as well as postnatal management and care of the infant. The purpose of this narrative review is to discuss the literature on fetal ventriculomegaly, including postnatal management and neurodevelopmental outcome, and to provide practice recommendations for pediatric neurologists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonika Agarwal
- Division of Neurology & Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Division of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| | - Charu Venkatesan
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Brigitte Vollmer
- Faculty of Medicine, Clinical Neurosciences, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK; Paediatric and Neonatal Neurology, Southampton Children's Hospital, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Barbara Scelsa
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Buzzi Children's Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica E Lemmon
- Department of Pediatrics and Population Health Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Andrea C Pardo
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Sarah B Mulkey
- Zickler Family Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia; Departments of Neurology, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, District of Columbia; Division of Pediatrics, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Tomo Tarui
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Vatsla Dadhwal
- Professor, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Mark Scher
- Emeritus Full Professor Pediatrics and Neurology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Anthony R Hart
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Dawn Gano
- Department of Neurology & Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
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13
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Yu H, Li J, Yang Q, Yang B, Li Y, Ren Y, Han X, Wang M, Liu H, Wang K, Liu L. Genetic etiology of agenesis of the corpus callosum: a retrospective single-center cohort analysis of 114 fetuses. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2024; 310:181-194. [PMID: 38782764 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-024-07544-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The identification and prognosis of the agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC) for prenatal consultation are complex and currently unclear. This study aims to explore the correlated genetic mutations of prenatal ACC. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 114 prenatal cases of ACC. All cases (n = 114) were subjected to chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA), and 66 CMA-negative cases underwent prenatal exome sequencing (pES) for further analysis. RESULTS CMA was diagnosed positively in 15/114 (13.2%) cases and pES was diagnosed positively in 24/66 (36.4%) CMA-negative cases. The detection rate of genetic causes between complete and partial ACCs was not significantly different (P > 0.05). Between isolated and non-isolated (other anomalies present) ACCs, the diagnostic rate of pES in non-isolated cases was significantly higher (P < 0.001), while CMA results did not differ (P > 0.05). The diagnostic rate of CMA was significantly increased in cases combined with intracranial and extracranial malformations (P = 0.014), while no CMA positivity was detected in cases combined with only intracranial malformations. CONCLUSION For fetuses with prenatal ACC, further pES analysis should be recommended after negative CMA results. Chromosome abnormalities are less likely to occur when ACC with only intracranial malformations combined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Yu
- Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Juan Li
- Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Qian Yang
- Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Yali Li
- Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Yameng Ren
- Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Xiao Han
- Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Mengru Wang
- Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Hongqian Liu
- Prenatal Diagnostic Center, Department of Medical Genetics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Kaijuan Wang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China.
| | - Ling Liu
- Prenatal Diagnosis Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China.
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Minocha PK, Englund EK, Friesen RM, Fujiwara T, Smith SA, Meyers ML, Browne LP, Barker AJ. Reference Values for Fetal Cardiac Dimensions, Volumes, Ventricular Function and Left Ventricular Longitudinal Strain Using Doppler Ultrasound Gated Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Healthy Third Trimester Fetuses. J Magn Reson Imaging 2024; 60:365-374. [PMID: 37855630 PMCID: PMC11026299 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.29077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent advances in hardware and software permit the use of cardiac MRI of late gestation fetuses, however there is a paucity of MRI-based reference values. PURPOSE To provide initial data on fetal cardiac MRI-derived cardiac dimensions, volumes, ventricular function, and left ventricular longitudinal strain in healthy developing fetuses >30 weeks gestational age. STUDY TYPE Prospective. POPULATION Twenty-five third trimester (34 ± 1 weeks, range of 32-37 weeks gestation) women with healthy developing fetuses. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE Studies were performed at 1.5 T and 3 T. Cardiac synchronization was achieved with a Doppler ultrasound device. The protocol included T2 single shot turbo spin echo stacks for fetal weight and ultrasound probe positioning, and multiplanar multi-slice cine balanced steady state free precession gradient echo sequences. ASSESSMENT Primary analyses were performed by a single observer. Weight indexed right ventricular (RV) and left ventricular (LV) volumes and function were calculated from short axis (SAX) stacks. Cardiac dimensions were calculated from the four-chamber and SAX stacks. Single plane LV longitudinal strain was calculated from the four-chamber stack. Interobserver variability was assessed in 10 participants. Cardiac MRI values were compared against available published normative fetal echocardiogram data using z-scores. STATISTICAL TESTS Mean and SDs were calculated for baseline maternal/fetal demographics, cardiac dimensions, volumes, ventricular function, and left ventricular longitudinal strain. Bland-Altman and intraclass correlation coefficient analysis was performed to test interobserver variability. RESULTS The mean gestational age was 34 ± 1.4 weeks. The mean RV and LV end diastolic volumes were 3.1 ± 0.6 mL/kg and 2.4 ± 0.5 mL/kg respectively. The mean RV cardiac output was 198 ± 49 mL/min/kg while the mean LV cardiac output was 173 ± 43 mL/min/kg. DATA CONCLUSION This paper reports initial reference values obtained by cardiac MRI in healthy developing third trimester fetuses. MRI generally resulted in slightly larger indexed values (by z-score) compared to reports in literature using fetal echocardiography. EVIDENCE LEVEL 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prashant K. Minocha
- Division of Cardiology, Heart Institute, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, USA
| | - Erin K. Englund
- Department of Radiology, Section of Pediatric Radiology, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, USA
| | - Richard M. Friesen
- Division of Cardiology, Heart Institute, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, USA
| | - Takashi Fujiwara
- Department of Radiology, Section of Pediatric Radiology, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, USA
| | - Sarah A. Smith
- Department of Radiology, Section of Pediatric Radiology, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, USA
| | - Mariana L. Meyers
- Department of Radiology, Section of Pediatric Radiology, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, USA
| | - Lorna P. Browne
- Department of Radiology, Section of Pediatric Radiology, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, USA
| | - Alex J. Barker
- Department of Radiology, Section of Pediatric Radiology, Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
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15
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Lopez Gonzalez R, Holmes WM. Editorial for "Reference Values for Fetal Cardiac Dimensions, Volumes, Ventricular Function and Left Ventricular Longitudinal Strain Using Doppler Ultrasound Gated Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Healthy Third Trimester Fetuses". J Magn Reson Imaging 2024; 60:375-376. [PMID: 37855664 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.29075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rosario Lopez Gonzalez
- Department of Clinical Physics and Bioengineering, National Health Service Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Glasgow, UK
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - William M Holmes
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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16
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Akgun Aktaş B, Ecem K, Murat H, Gökçe Ozcan K, Ozgür K, Atakan T, Dilek S. Fetal cortical development and neurosonographic findings in obese pregnant women: a case control study from a tertiary hospital. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2024; 310:83-91. [PMID: 37831178 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-023-07258-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate the effect of obesity on fetal cortical development. METHODS This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted with 91 pregnant women. Fetal neurosonography scans were performed in the third trimester, and according to body mass index (BMI) values, the patients were evaluated in two groups: obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) and normal weight (BMI < 30 kg/m2). During neurosonography, fetal insular depth and Sylvian fissures, parieo-occipital and cingulate fissure depth, frontal lobe length, and the sizes of the corpus callosum and cavum septum pellucidum were measured using a transvaginal approach. Fetal cortical development and Sylvian fissure operculization were graded. RESULTS The number of patients with grade 2 fetal cortical development was significantly higher among the pregnant women in the obese group compared to the normal weight group (n = 17, 41.5% and n = 8, 16.0%, respectively; p = 0.007). In the obese group, the number of pregnant women with grade 4 or below fetal Sylvian fissure operculization was significantly higher (n = 13, 31.7%), and the number of those with grade 9 or above operculization was significantly lower (n = 1, 2.5%) (p = 0.003). The fetal insular depth, frontal lobe anterior-posterior diameter, cingulate fissure depth, and corpus callosum thickness were lower in the obese group, albeit with no significant difference. Parieto-occipital depth significantly decreased in the obese group [6.8 (6) mm)] compared to the control group [10.5 (7.2) mm)] (p = 0.008). The fetal Sylvian fissure ratio and the cavum septum pellucidum ratio were found to be similar between the groups. CONCLUSION The data obtained from this study showed that obesity caused fetal cortical changes in pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betül Akgun Aktaş
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ministry of Health, Ankara City Hospital, Üniversiteler Mahallesi 1604. Cadde No: 9 Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Kaya Ecem
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ministry of Health, Ankara City Hospital, Üniversiteler Mahallesi 1604. Cadde No: 9 Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Haksever Murat
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ministry of Health, Ankara City Hospital, Üniversiteler Mahallesi 1604. Cadde No: 9 Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Kılınç Gökçe Ozcan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ministry of Health, Ankara City Hospital, Üniversiteler Mahallesi 1604. Cadde No: 9 Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Kara Ozgür
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ministry of Health, Ankara City Hospital, Üniversiteler Mahallesi 1604. Cadde No: 9 Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Tanacan Atakan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ministry of Health, Ankara City Hospital, Üniversiteler Mahallesi 1604. Cadde No: 9 Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Sahin Dilek
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ministry of Health, Ankara City Hospital, Üniversiteler Mahallesi 1604. Cadde No: 9 Çankaya, Ankara, Turkey
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
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Fortin O, Mulkey SB, Fraser JL. Advancing fetal diagnosis and prognostication using comprehensive prenatal phenotyping and genetic testing. Pediatr Res 2024:10.1038/s41390-024-03343-9. [PMID: 38937640 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03343-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Prenatal diagnoses of congenital malformations have increased significantly in recent years with use of high-resolution prenatal imaging. Despite more precise radiological diagnoses, discussions with expectant parents remain challenging because congenital malformations are associated with a wide spectrum of outcomes. Comprehensive prenatal genetic testing has become an essential tool that improves the accuracy of prognostication. Testing strategies include chromosomal microarray, exome sequencing, and genome sequencing. The diagnostic yield varies depending on the specific malformations, severity of the abnormalities, and multi-organ involvement. The utility of prenatal genetic diagnosis includes increased diagnostic clarity for clinicians and families, informed pregnancy decision-making, neonatal care planning, and reproductive planning. Turnaround time for results of comprehensive genetic testing remains a barrier, especially for parents that are decision-making, although this has improved over time. Uncertainty inherent to many genetic testing results is a challenge. Appropriate genetic counseling is essential for parents to understand the diagnosis and prognosis and to make informed decisions. Recent research has investigated the yield of exome or genome sequencing in structurally normal fetuses, both with non-invasive screening methods and invasive diagnostic testing; the prenatal diagnostic community must evaluate and analyze the significant ethical considerations associated with this practice prior to generalizing its use. IMPACT: Reviews available genetic testing options during the prenatal period in detail. Discusses the impact of prenatal genetic testing on care using case-based examples. Consolidates the current literature on the yield of genetic testing for prenatal diagnosis of congenital malformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Fortin
- Zickler Family Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Sarah B Mulkey
- Zickler Family Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jamie L Fraser
- Zickler Family Prenatal Pediatrics Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
- Rare Disease Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
- Center for Genetic Medicine Research, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA.
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Farladansky-Gershnabel S, Jayapal P, Zalcman M, Barth RA, Rubesova E, Hintz SR, Zhang J, Leonard SA, El-Sayed YY, Blumenfeld YJ. A Novel Fetal Magnetic Resonance Imaging Lung Volume Nomogram Stratified by Estimated Fetal Weight. Fetal Diagn Ther 2024; 51:1-8. [PMID: 38843783 DOI: 10.1159/000539709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lung volume nomograms are increasingly used to prognosticate neonatal outcomes in fetuses with suspected pulmonary hypoplasia. However, pregnancies complicated by fetal anomalies associated with pulmonary hypoplasia may also be complicated by fetal growth restriction (FGR). If a small lung volume is suspected in such cases, it is often unclear whether the lungs are "small" because of underlying lung pathology, or small fetal size. Existing MRI lung volume nomograms have mostly been stratified by gestational age (GA), rather than estimated fetal weight (EFW). Therefore, we aimed to develop a novel fetal lung volume nomogram stratified by EFW. METHODS Consecutive fetal MRIs performed at a quaternary medical center from 2019 to 2021 were analyzed. MRIs performed due to fetal lung anomalies and cases with FGR were excluded. All MRIs were performed without IV contrast on GE 3 or 1.5 Tesla scanners (GE Healthcare). Images were reviewed by three experienced fetal radiologists. Freehand ROI in square centimeter was drawn around the contours of the lungs on consecutive slices from the apex to the base. The volume of the right, left and total lungs were calculated in mL. Lung volumes were plotted by both EFW and GA. RESULTS Among 301 MRI studies performed during the study period, 170 cases met inclusion criteria and were analyzed. MRIs were performed between 19- and 38-week gestation, and a sonographic EFW was obtained within a mean of 2.9 days (SD ± 5.5 days, range 0-14 days) of each MRI. Nomograms stratified by both EFW and GA were created using 200 g. and weekly intervals respectively. A formula using EFW to predict total lung volume was calculated: LV = 0.07497804 EFW0.88276 (R2 = 0.87). CONCLUSIONS We developed a novel fetal lung volume nomogram stratified by EFW. If validated, this nomogram may assist clinicians predict outcomes in cases of fetal pulmonary hypoplasia with concomitant FGR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sivan Farladansky-Gershnabel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Praveen Jayapal
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Max Zalcman
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Richard A Barth
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Erika Rubesova
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Susan R Hintz
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Jiaqi Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Stephanie A Leonard
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Yasser Y El-Sayed
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Yair J Blumenfeld
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
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19
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Feng Z, Zhou R, Xia W, Wang S, Liu Y, Huang Z, Gan H. PDFF-CNN: An attention-guided dynamic multi-orientation feature fusion method for gestational age prediction on imbalanced fetal brain MRI dataset. Med Phys 2024; 51:3480-3494. [PMID: 38043088 DOI: 10.1002/mp.16875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fetal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based gestational age prediction has been widely used to characterize normal fetal brain development and diagnose congenital brain malformations. PURPOSE The uncertainty of fetal position and external interference leads to variable localization and direction of the fetal brain. In addition, pregnant women typically concentrate on receiving MRI scans during the fetal anomaly scanning week, leading to an imbalanced distribution of fetal brain MRI data. The above-mentioned problems pose great challenges for deep learning-based fetal brain MRI gestational age prediction. METHODS In this study, a pyramid squeeze attention (PSA)-guided dynamic feature fusion CNN (PDFF-CNN) is proposed to robustly predict gestational ages from fetal brain MRI images on an imbalanced dataset. PDFF-CNN contains four components: transformation module, feature extraction module, dynamic feature fusion module, and balanced mean square error (MSE) loss. The transformation and feature extraction modules are employed by using the PSA to learn multiscale and multi-orientation feature representations in a parallel weight-sharing Siamese network. The dynamic feature fusion module automatically learns the weights of feature vectors generated in the feature extraction module to dynamically fuse multiscale and multi-orientation brain sulci and gyri features. Considering the fact of the imbalanced dataset, the balanced MSE loss is used to mitigate the negative impact of imbalanced data distribution on gestational age prediction performance. RESULTS Evaluated on an imbalanced fetal brain MRI dataset of 1327 routine clinical T2-weighted MRI images from 157 subjects, PDFF-CNN achieved promising gestational age prediction performance with an overall mean absolute error of 0.848 weeks and anR 2 $R^2$ of 0.904. Furthermore, the attention activation maps of PDFF-CNN were derived, which revealed regional features that contributed to gestational age prediction at each gestational stage. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the proposed PDFF-CNN might have broad clinical applicability in guiding treatment interventions and delivery planning, which has the potential to be helpful with prenatal diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziteng Feng
- School of Computer Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ran Zhou
- School of Computer Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Xia
- Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Siru Wang
- School of Computer Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yang Liu
- School of Computer Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhongwei Huang
- School of Computer Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Haitao Gan
- School of Computer Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, China
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20
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Duyzend MH, Cacheiro P, Jacobsen JO, Giordano J, Brand H, Wapner RJ, Talkowski ME, Robinson PN, Smedley D. Improving prenatal diagnosis through standards and aggregation. Prenat Diagn 2024; 44:454-464. [PMID: 38242839 PMCID: PMC11006584 DOI: 10.1002/pd.6522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Advances in sequencing and imaging technologies enable enhanced assessment in the prenatal space, with a goal to diagnose and predict the natural history of disease, to direct targeted therapies, and to implement clinical management, including transfer of care, election of supportive care, and selection of surgical interventions. The current lack of standardization and aggregation stymies variant interpretation and gene discovery, which hinders the provision of prenatal precision medicine, leaving clinicians and patients without an accurate diagnosis. With large amounts of data generated, it is imperative to establish standards for data collection, processing, and aggregation. Aggregated and homogeneously processed genetic and phenotypic data permits dissection of the genomic architecture of prenatal presentations of disease and provides a dataset on which data analysis algorithms can be tuned to the prenatal space. Here we discuss the importance of generating aggregate data sets and how the prenatal space is driving the development of interoperable standards and phenotype-driven tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael H. Duyzend
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Pilar Cacheiro
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Julius O.B. Jacobsen
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Jessica Giordano
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Harrison Brand
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ronald J. Wapner
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael E. Talkowski
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Division of Medical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics, Division of Medical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Peter N. Robinson
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT 06032, USA
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT 06032, USA
| | - Damian Smedley
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
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21
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Uus AU, Hall M, Grigorescu I, Avena Zampieri C, Egloff Collado A, Payette K, Matthew J, Kyriakopoulou V, Hajnal JV, Hutter J, Rutherford MA, Deprez M, Story L. Automated body organ segmentation, volumetry and population-averaged atlas for 3D motion-corrected T2-weighted fetal body MRI. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6637. [PMID: 38503833 PMCID: PMC10950851 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57087-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Structural fetal body MRI provides true 3D information required for volumetry of fetal organs. However, current clinical and research practice primarily relies on manual slice-wise segmentation of raw T2-weighted stacks, which is time consuming, subject to inter- and intra-observer bias and affected by motion-corruption. Furthermore, there are no existing standard guidelines defining a universal approach to parcellation of fetal organs. This work produces the first parcellation protocol of the fetal body organs for motion-corrected 3D fetal body MRI. It includes 10 organ ROIs relevant to fetal quantitative volumetry studies. We also introduce the first population-averaged T2w MRI atlas of the fetal body. The protocol was used as a basis for training of a neural network for automated organ segmentation. It showed robust performance for different gestational ages. This solution minimises the need for manual editing and significantly reduces time. The general feasibility of the proposed pipeline was also assessed by analysis of organ growth charts created from automated parcellations of 91 normal control 3T MRI datasets that showed expected increase in volumetry during 22-38 weeks gestational age range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alena U Uus
- School of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Megan Hall
- Centre for the Developing Brain, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Women and Children's Health, King's College London, London, UK
- Fetal Medicine Unit, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Irina Grigorescu
- School of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Carla Avena Zampieri
- Centre for the Developing Brain, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Women and Children's Health, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - Kelly Payette
- School of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, UK
- Centre for the Developing Brain, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Jacqueline Matthew
- School of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, UK
- Centre for the Developing Brain, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - Joseph V Hajnal
- School of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, UK
- Centre for the Developing Brain, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Jana Hutter
- School of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, UK
- Centre for the Developing Brain, King's College London, London, UK
- Smart Imaging Lab, Radiological Institute, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Maria Deprez
- School of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Lisa Story
- Centre for the Developing Brain, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Women and Children's Health, King's College London, London, UK
- Fetal Medicine Unit, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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22
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Zhou R, Liu Y, Xia W, Guo Y, Huang Z, Gan H, Fenster A. JoCoRank: Joint correlation learning with ranking similarity regularization for imbalanced fetal brain age regression. Comput Biol Med 2024; 171:108111. [PMID: 38382384 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.108111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Estimating fetal brain age based on sulci by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is clinically crucial in determining the normal development of fetal brains. Deep learning provides a possible way for fetal brain age estimation using MRI. Previous studies have mainly emphasized optimizing individual-wise correlation criteria, such as mean square error. However, they ignored the very important global and peer-wise criterion, which are essential for learning the structured relationships among regression samples. Moreover, the imbalanced label distribution introduces an adverse bias, which impairs the reliability and interpretation of correlation estimation and the model's fairness and generalizability. In this work, we propose a novel joint correlation learning with ranking similarity regularization (JoCoRank) algorithm for deep imbalanced regression of fetal brain age. Joint correlation learning concurrently captures individual, global, and peer-level valuable relationship information, and the customized optimization scheme for each criterion exhibits strong robustness against outliers and imbalanced regression. Ranking similarity regularization is designed to calibrate the biased feature representations by aligning the sorted list of neighbors in the label space with those in the feature space. A total of 1327 MRI images from 157 healthy fetuses between 22 and 34 weeks were collected at Wuhan Children's Hospital and utilized to evaluate the performance of JoCoRank in fetal brain age estimation. JoCoRank achieved promising results with an average mean absolute error of 0.693±0.064 weeks and R2 coefficient of 0.930±0.019. Our fetal brain age estimation algorithm would be useful for identifying abnormalities in fetal brain development and undertaking early intervention in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Zhou
- School of Computer Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Yang Liu
- School of Computer Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Wei Xia
- Imaging Center, Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430015, China.
| | - Yu Guo
- Imaging Center, Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430015, China
| | - Zhongwei Huang
- School of Computer Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China
| | - Haitao Gan
- School of Computer Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China.
| | - Aaron Fenster
- Imaging Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
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23
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Raaby L, Lou S, Lodberg Ivarsen RR, Sørensen J, Larsen OH, Vogel I. Has the introduction of increased genetic prenatal testing affected rates of termination of pregnancy due to fetal abnormality? Prenat Diagn 2024; 44:280-288. [PMID: 38348952 DOI: 10.1002/pd.6526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/16/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Genetic high-resolution analyses and improved diagnostic imaging have impacted the ability to detect fetal disorders. It is unknown if this resulted in an alteration in the number of terminations of pregnancy due to fetal anomalies (TOPFA). The objective was to describe the incidence and indication of TOPFA. METHODS A descriptive study based on records from the Regional Abortion Council in the Central Denmark Region from 2008 to 2021 consisting of 1895 TOPFA. RESULTS A consistent incidence of TOPFA was observed, accounting for 0.96% of the total births during that period. When examining fetal indications, there was a small increase in the occurrence of genetic aberrations, primarily caused by deletions, duplications, and single nucleotide variations, whereas the number of chromosomal aberrations remained stable. Of 35.5% of the cases with malformations, the central nervous system was the most affected organ system, followed by malformations of the heart 29.6%. Overall, the total number of cases remained stable. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Unexpectedly, despite the development of new diagnostic tools, the incidence of TOPFA from 2008 to 2021 remained stable. However, the number of cases with genetic aberrations increased. This may be attributed to increased genetic testing for fetuses with identified malformations, resulting in more accurate diagnoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Line Raaby
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Pathology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Stina Lou
- Center for Fetal Diagnostics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- DEFACTUM - Public Health & Health Services Research, Central Denmark Region, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Jette Sørensen
- Department of Social Medicine and Rehabilitation, The secretariat of Regional Abortion Council, Gødstrup Hospital, Herning, Denmark
| | - Ole Halfdan Larsen
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Ida Vogel
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Center for Fetal Diagnostics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
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24
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Matthew J, Uus A, De Souza L, Wright R, Fukami-Gartner A, Priego G, Saija C, Deprez M, Collado AE, Hutter J, Story L, Malamateniou C, Rhode K, Hajnal J, Rutherford MA. Craniofacial phenotyping with fetal MRI: a feasibility study of 3D visualisation, segmentation, surface-rendered and physical models. BMC Med Imaging 2024; 24:52. [PMID: 38429666 PMCID: PMC10905839 DOI: 10.1186/s12880-024-01230-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
This study explores the potential of 3D Slice-to-Volume Registration (SVR) motion-corrected fetal MRI for craniofacial assessment, traditionally used only for fetal brain analysis. In addition, we present the first description of an automated pipeline based on 3D Attention UNet trained for 3D fetal MRI craniofacial segmentation, followed by surface refinement. Results of 3D printing of selected models are also presented.Qualitative analysis of multiplanar volumes, based on the SVR output and surface segmentations outputs, were assessed with computer and printed models, using standardised protocols that we developed for evaluating image quality and visibility of diagnostic craniofacial features. A test set of 25, postnatally confirmed, Trisomy 21 fetal cases (24-36 weeks gestational age), revealed that 3D reconstructed T2 SVR images provided 66-100% visibility of relevant craniofacial and head structures in the SVR output, and 20-100% and 60-90% anatomical visibility was seen for the baseline and refined 3D computer surface model outputs respectively. Furthermore, 12 of 25 cases, 48%, of refined surface models demonstrated good or excellent overall quality with a further 9 cases, 36%, demonstrating moderate quality to include facial, scalp and external ears. Additional 3D printing of 12 physical real-size models (20-36 weeks gestational age) revealed good/excellent overall quality in all cases and distinguishable features between healthy control cases and cases with confirmed anomalies, with only minor manual adjustments required before 3D printing.Despite varying image quality and data heterogeneity, 3D T2w SVR reconstructions and models provided sufficient resolution for the subjective characterisation of subtle craniofacial features. We also contributed a publicly accessible online 3D T2w MRI atlas of the fetal head, validated for accurate representation of normal fetal anatomy.Future research will focus on quantitative analysis, optimizing the pipeline, and exploring diagnostic, counselling, and educational applications in fetal craniofacial assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline Matthew
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
| | - Alena Uus
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
| | - Leah De Souza
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
| | - Robert Wright
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
| | - Abi Fukami-Gartner
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
| | - Gema Priego
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
- Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Carlo Saija
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
| | - Maria Deprez
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
| | - Alexia Egloff Collado
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Jana Hutter
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
| | - Lisa Story
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | | | - Kawal Rhode
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
| | - Jo Hajnal
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
| | - Mary A Rutherford
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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25
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Fakes K. Patient experiences and anxiety related to medical imaging: challenges and potential solutions. J Med Radiat Sci 2024; 71:3-6. [PMID: 38154787 PMCID: PMC10920950 DOI: 10.1002/jmrs.748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients' experiences of medical imaging are varied. In referencing the work of Plunkett et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmrs.725, relating to fetal MRI, this editorial explores potential methods for increased education and support to alleviate anxiety in patients undergoing medical imaging procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristy Fakes
- School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and WellbeingUniversity of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
- Hunter Medical Research InstituteNew Lambton HeightsNew South WalesAustralia
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26
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Mufti N, Aertsen M, Thomson D, De Vloo P, Demaerel P, Deprest J, Melbourne A, David AL. Longitudinal MRI in the context of in utero surgery for open spina bifida: A descriptive study. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2024; 103:322-333. [PMID: 37984808 PMCID: PMC10823411 DOI: 10.1111/aogs.14711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Fetal surgery for open spina bifida (OSB) requires comprehensive preoperative assessment using imaging for appropriate patient selection and to evaluate postoperative efficacy and complications. We explored patient access and conduct of fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for prenatal assessment of OSB patients eligible for fetal surgery. We compared imaging acquisition and reporting to the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology MRI performance guidelines. MATERIAL AND METHODS We surveyed access to fetal MRI for OSB in referring fetal medicine units (FMUs) in the UK and Ireland, and two NHS England specialist commissioned fetal surgery centers (FSCs) at University College London Hospital, and University Hospitals KU Leuven Belgium. To study MRI acquisition protocols, we retrospectively analyzed fetal MRI images before and after fetal surgery for OSB. RESULTS MRI for fetal OSB was accessible with appropriate specialists available to supervise, perform, and report scans. The average time to arrange a fetal MRI appointment from request was 4 ± 3 days (range, 0-10), the average scan time available was 37 ± 16 min (range, 20-80 min), with 15 ± 11 min (range, 0-30 min) extra time to repeat sequences as required. Specific MRI acquisition protocols, and MRI reporting templates were available in only 32% and 18% of units, respectively. Satisfactory T2-weighted (T2W) brain imaging acquired in three orthogonal planes was achieved preoperatively in all centers, and 6 weeks postoperatively in 96% of FSCs and 78% of referring FMUs. However, for T2W spine image acquisition referring FMUs were less able to provide three orthogonal planes presurgery (98% FSC vs. 50% FMU, p < 0.001), and 6 weeks post-surgery (100% FSC vs. 48% FMU, p < 0.001). Other standard imaging recommendations such as T1-weighted (T1W), gradient echo (GE) or echoplanar fetal brain and spine imaging in one or two orthogonal planes were more likely available in FSCs compared to FMUs pre- and post-surgery (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS There was timely access to supervised MRI for OSB fetal surgery assessment. However, the provision of images of the fetal brain and spine in sufficient orthogonal planes, which are required for determining eligibility and to determine the reversal of hindbrain herniation after fetal surgery, were less frequently acquired. Our evidence suggests the need for specific guidance in relation to fetal MRI for OSB. We propose an example guidance for MRI acquisition and reporting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nada Mufti
- Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's HealthUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences (BMEIS)King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Michael Aertsen
- Department of RadiologyUniversity Hospitals Katholieke Universiteit (KU)LeuvenBelgium
| | - Dominic Thomson
- Pediatric Neurosurgery DepartmentGreat Ormond Street Hospital for ChildrenLondonUK
| | - Phillippe De Vloo
- Department of NeurosurgeryUniversity Hospitals Katholieke Universiteit (KU)LeuvenBelgium
| | - Philippe Demaerel
- Department of RadiologyUniversity Hospitals Katholieke Universiteit (KU)LeuvenBelgium
| | - Jan Deprest
- Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's HealthUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyUniversity Hospitals Katholieke Universiteit (KU)LeuvenBelgium
| | - Andrew Melbourne
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences (BMEIS)King's College LondonLondonUK
- Medical Physics and Biomedical EngineeringUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Anna L. David
- Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's HealthUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyUniversity Hospitals Katholieke Universiteit (KU)LeuvenBelgium
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27
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Nii M, Enomoto N, Ishida M, Magawa S, Takakura S, Maki S, Tanaka K, Toriyabe K, Tanaka H, Kondo E, Sakuma H, Ikeda T. Two-dimensional phase-contrast MRI reveals changes in uterine arterial blood flow in pregnant women administered tadalafil for fetal growth restriction. Placenta 2024; 146:1-8. [PMID: 38157651 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2023.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We aimed to examine the effect of uterine arterial (UtA) blood flow changes after tadalafil treatment for fetal growth restriction (FGR) using two-dimensional (2D) phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI). METHODS We recruited 14 pregnant women with FGR aged 20-44 years, at ≥20 weeks' gestation, between May 2019 and July 2020. They underwent 2D PC-MRI for UtA blood flow measurement 3 days (interquartile range: 2-4) after diagnosis. This group (FGR group) was compared with 14 gestational age (GA)-matched healthy pregnant women (control group). Six patients in the FGR group received treatment with tadalafil administered at 20 mg twice daily after the first MRI until delivery. They underwent a second MRI a week later. RESULTS The median total UtA blood/body surface area was 420 mL/min/m2 (290-494) in the FGR group and 547 mL/min/m2 (433-681) in the control group (p = 0.01). Percent increase in blood flow were significantly different between the FGR cases treated with tadalafil and control at 15.8 % (14.3-21.3) and 4.2 % (3.6-8.7), respectively (p = 0.03). DISCUSSION UtA blood flow in pregnant women with FGR was significantly lower than that in healthy pregnant women. Tadalafil is expected to improve UtA blood flow, thereby improving placental function in pregnant patients with FGR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masafumi Nii
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mie University School of Medicine, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan.
| | - Naosuke Enomoto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mie University School of Medicine, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan
| | - Masaki Ishida
- Department of Radiology, Mie University School of Medicine, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan
| | - Shoichi Magawa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mie University School of Medicine, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan
| | - Sho Takakura
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mie University School of Medicine, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan
| | - Shintaro Maki
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mie University School of Medicine, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan
| | - Kayo Tanaka
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mie University School of Medicine, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan
| | - Kuniaki Toriyabe
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mie University School of Medicine, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Tanaka
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mie University School of Medicine, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan
| | - Eiji Kondo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mie University School of Medicine, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan
| | - Hajime Sakuma
- Department of Radiology, Mie University School of Medicine, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Ikeda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mie University School of Medicine, Edobashi, Tsu, Mie, Japan
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28
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Sampaio L, Morana G, Gonçalves H, Rossi A, Ramalho C. Fetal brain MR angiography at 1.5 T: a feasible study. Neuroradiology 2024; 66:271-278. [PMID: 37993731 DOI: 10.1007/s00234-023-03243-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The use of magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) for assessing CNS fetal vasculature has been limited. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility and added value of 2D time-of-flight (TOF) MRA of the fetal brain vasculature with a 1.5 T scanner. METHODS We conducted a prospective study (September 2018 to October 2022) by consecutively selecting pregnant women (≥ 18 years) with clinical indication to fetal brain MRI. On a 1.5 T scanner, a 2D TOF MRA acquisition was obtained at the end of the clinical protocol. Two neuroradiologists independently reviewed all MRIs; a qualitative scale of motion artifacts was applied to MRA images; represented vessels in MRA and T2 images were registered. RESULTS Thirty-five fetal brain MRIs. Mean maternal age: 32 years; mean fetal gestational age (GA): 31 weeks. Artifacts were found in 74% of MRA. The number of MRAs performed without artifacts increased with GA. On MRA, the identification of the majority of vessels increased with GA; statistical significance was reached in the identification of torcular Herophili (p = 0.026), vein of Galen (p < 0.001), internal cerebral veins (p = 0.002), basilar artery (p = 0.027), vertebral arteries (p = 0.025), and middle cerebral arteries (p = 0.044). Significantly, MRA depicted the sigmoid sinuses and internal jugular veins more frequently. Vascular pathology was found in 3/35 fetal brain MRIs. CONCLUSION Although artifacts were found in 74% of cases, MRA acquisitions were informative and of sufficient diagnostic quality in most studies. This technique may represent a valuable complimentary tool in CNS prenatal vascular studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luísa Sampaio
- Department of Neuroradiology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, Porto, Portugal.
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Giovanni Morana
- Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiotherapy, "Città Della Salute E Della Scienza" University Hospital, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Hernâni Gonçalves
- Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS@RISE), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Community Medicine, Information and Health Decision Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Andrea Rossi
- Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- Neuroradiology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Carla Ramalho
- Department of Obstetrics, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology and Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Instituto de Investigação E Inovação Em Saúde i3S, Porto, Portugal
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Weidemann J, Waginger M, Mentzel HJ. [Congenital anomalies of the kidneys and urinary tract (CAKUT) : Embryology in radiology and fetal magnetic resonance imaging]. RADIOLOGIE (HEIDELBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 64:3-10. [PMID: 38095684 DOI: 10.1007/s00117-023-01243-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
CLINICAL PROBLEM Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are very common findings in fetal diagnostics. Their effects range from variants without pathological significance to pronounced functional impairment with the need for renal replacement therapy in childhood. Sometimes the genital organs are also affected. The aim of the article is to provide an overview of embryology and examples of key findings. IMAGING PROCEDURES In the fetal period, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used, while postnatally, sonography with the option of contrast-enhanced micturition urosonography (MUS, ceVUS) dominates imaging in pediatric radiology, supplemented in individual cases by fluoroscopy (micturition cysturethrography) and MRI. Quantitative methods for assessing kidney function and excretion (MAG3 scintigraphy, functional MR urography) are essential when planning further therapeutic procedures, especially in obstructive uropathies. CONCLUSION Imaging plays an essential role in the assessment of abnormalities of the kidneys and urinary tract both pre- and postnatally. Knowledge of embryology facilitates anatomical understanding and assessment of pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen Weidemann
- Kinderradiologie, Ultraschall und Computertomografie, Kinder- und Jugendkrankenhaus Auf der Bult., Janusz-Korczak-Allee 12, 30173, Hannover, Deutschland.
| | - Matthias Waginger
- Sektion Kinderradiologie, Institut für Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Jena. Am Klinikum 1., 07747, Jena, Deutschland
| | - Hans-Joachim Mentzel
- Sektion Kinderradiologie, Institut für Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Jena. Am Klinikum 1., 07747, Jena, Deutschland
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Rodríguez MA, Echevarría M, Perdomo L, Gómez-Chiari M, García S, Prats P, Serra B, Albaiges G. Prevalence of corpus callosum pathology in an unselected population. Should assessment of the corpus callosum be included in the routine 20 weeks scan? Prenat Diagn 2024. [PMID: 38161311 DOI: 10.1002/pd.6510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence of abnormalities of the corpus callosum (AbnCC) in a non-selected population, to propose a systematic screening protocol for AbnCC in all populations through direct assessment, and to describe the follow-up and prognosis of all AbnCC cases diagnosed in our clinical setting. METHODS This was a retrospective review of the prevalence of AbnCC over 11 years. We included a sagittal assessment of the corpus callosum (CC) in the second-trimester scan. AbnCC was classified into complete agenesis of CC (ACC) and dysgenesis of CC (DCC; including small, partial agenesis, thick and with lipoma). RESULTS Of the 38,586 second-trimester scans performed during our screening, 43 cases of AbnCC were detected (prevalence of 0.8/1000). Of the AbnCC cases, 10 cases were identified as ACC (29.40%) and 24 as DCC (70.59%). Follow-up investigations showed that in the 43 cases with AbnCC, 76.5% had other associated ultrasound abnormalities, 26.5% had genetic abnormalities, 11.8% had other MRI abnormalities, and 25% of the children had neurodevelopmental delays (8.8% of the total), which were severe in only one case. CONCLUSIONS AbnCC is found in approximately 0.8/1000 of cases in an unselected population. The findings suggest that systematic and direct assessment of the CC as part of screening ultrasound in the second trimester of gestation should be recommended as a routine practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mª Angeles Rodríguez
- Fetal Medicine Unit, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine, Institut Universitari Dexeus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mónica Echevarría
- Fetal Medicine Unit, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine, Institut Universitari Dexeus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Perdomo
- Fetal Medicine Unit, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine, Institut Universitari Dexeus, Barcelona, Spain
- Obstetrics Service, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Institut Universitari Quirón Dexeus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Gómez-Chiari
- Diagnostic Imaging Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sandra García
- Epidemiological Unit, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine, Institut Universitari Dexeus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pilar Prats
- Fetal Medicine Unit, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine, Institut Universitari Dexeus, Barcelona, Spain
- Obstetrics Service, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Institut Universitari Quirón Dexeus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Bernat Serra
- Obstetrics Service, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Institut Universitari Quirón Dexeus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gerard Albaiges
- Fetal Medicine Unit, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine, Institut Universitari Dexeus, Barcelona, Spain
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Ramirez Zegarra R, Casati D, Volpe N, Lanna M, Dall'Asta A, Chiarelli A, Ormitti F, Percesepe A, Montaguti E, Labadini C, Salsi G, di Pasquo E, Bonasoni MP, Quarello E, Pilu G, Grisolia G, Righini A, Ghi T. The "cortical invagination sign": a midtrimester sonographic marker of unilateral cortical focal dysgyria in fetuses with complete agenesis of the corpus callosum. Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM 2023; 5:101198. [PMID: 37866717 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajogmf.2023.101198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Agenesis of the corpus callosum is associated with several malformations of cortical development. Recently, features of focal cortical dysgyria have been described in fetuses with agenesis of the corpus callosum. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to describe the "cortical invagination sign," a specific sonographic feature of focal cortical dysgyria, which is consistently seen at midtrimester axial brain ultrasound in fetuses with complete agenesis of the corpus callosum. STUDY DESIGN This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from 2018 to 2021, including patients referred to 5 fetal medicine centers in the second trimester of pregnancy (19 0/7 to 22 0/7 weeks of gestation) with suspected complete agenesis of the corpus callosum. All cases with the diagnosis of complete agenesis of the corpus callosum were submitted to an axial sonographic assessment of the fetal brain on the transventricular plane. In this scanning section, the mesial profile of both cerebral hemispheres at the level of the frontal-parietal cortex was investigated. In this area, the operator looked for an abnormal invagination of the cortical surface along the widened interhemispheric fissure, which was referred to as the "cortical invagination sign." All fetuses were submitted to dedicated antenatal magnetic resonance imaging to reassess the ultrasound findings. Cases with additional brain anomalies, which did not involve the cortex, were excluded. The final diagnosis was confirmed at postnatal brain magnetic resonance imaging or postmortem examination, for cases undergoing termination of pregnancy. The primary outcome of this study was to evaluate the presence and laterality of the "cortical invagination sign" in fetuses with complete agenesis of the corpus callosum at antenatal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS During the study period, 64 cases of complete agenesis of the corpus callosum were included; of those cases, 50 (78.1%) resulted in termination of pregnancy, and 14 (21.9%) resulted in a live birth. The "cortical invagination sign" was detected at ultrasound in 13 of 64 cases (20.3%) and at targeted brain magnetic resonance imaging in 2 additional cases (23.4%), all of which were electively terminated. Moreover, the "cortical invagination sign" was found to be exclusively unilateral and on the left cerebral hemisphere in all the cases. There was a predominant number, although nonsignificant, of male fetuses (80.0% of cases; P=.06) in the group of complete agenesis of the corpus callosum with the "cortical invagination sign." CONCLUSION The "cortical invagination sign" is a specific marker of focal cortical dysgyria, which seems to characterize at midtrimester of pregnancy in a large group of fetuses with complete agenesis of the corpus callosum. The etiology, pathophysiology, and prognostic significance of this finding remain to be elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Ramirez Zegarra
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy (Drs Ramirez Zegarra and Volpe, Prof Dall'Asta, Drs Chiarelli, Labadini, di Pasquo, and Ghi)
| | - Daniela Casati
- Fetal Therapy Unit "U. Nicolini", Department of Women, Mother and Neonate, Vittore Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy (Drs Casati and Lanna)
| | - Nicola Volpe
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy (Drs Ramirez Zegarra and Volpe, Prof Dall'Asta, Drs Chiarelli, Labadini, di Pasquo, and Ghi)
| | - Mariano Lanna
- Fetal Therapy Unit "U. Nicolini", Department of Women, Mother and Neonate, Vittore Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy (Drs Casati and Lanna)
| | - Andrea Dall'Asta
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy (Drs Ramirez Zegarra and Volpe, Prof Dall'Asta, Drs Chiarelli, Labadini, di Pasquo, and Ghi)
| | - Annasole Chiarelli
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy (Drs Ramirez Zegarra and Volpe, Prof Dall'Asta, Drs Chiarelli, Labadini, di Pasquo, and Ghi)
| | - Francesca Ormitti
- Neuroradiology Unit, University Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy (Dr Ormitti)
| | - Antonio Percesepe
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Medical Genetics, University of Parma, Italy (Prof Percesepe)
| | - Elisa Montaguti
- Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, Policlinico di Sant'Orsola Malpighi, Bologna, Italy (Drs Montaguti, Salsi, and Prof Pilu)
| | - Corinne Labadini
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy (Drs Ramirez Zegarra and Volpe, Prof Dall'Asta, Drs Chiarelli, Labadini, di Pasquo, and Ghi)
| | - Ginevra Salsi
- Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, Policlinico di Sant'Orsola Malpighi, Bologna, Italy (Drs Montaguti, Salsi, and Prof Pilu)
| | - Elvira di Pasquo
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy (Drs Ramirez Zegarra and Volpe, Prof Dall'Asta, Drs Chiarelli, Labadini, di Pasquo, and Ghi)
| | - Maria Paola Bonasoni
- Pathology Unit, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy (Dr Bonasoni)
| | - Edwin Quarello
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Saint Joseph, Marseille, France (Dr Quarello)
| | - Gianluigi Pilu
- Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, Policlinico di Sant'Orsola Malpighi, Bologna, Italy (Drs Montaguti, Salsi, and Prof Pilu)
| | - Giampaolo Grisolia
- Department of High-Risk Pregnancy, Mantova Ospedale C. Poma, Mantua, Italy (Dr Grisolia)
| | - Andrea Righini
- Department of Radiology and Pediatric Neuroradiology, Vittore Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy (Prof Righini)
| | - Tullio Ghi
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy (Drs Ramirez Zegarra and Volpe, Prof Dall'Asta, Drs Chiarelli, Labadini, di Pasquo, and Ghi).
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Mufti N, Chappell J, Aertsen M, Ebner M, Fidon L, Deprest J, David AL, Melbourne A. Assessment of longitudinal brain development using super-resolution magnetic resonance imaging following fetal surgery for open spina bifida. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2023; 62:707-720. [PMID: 37161647 PMCID: PMC10947002 DOI: 10.1002/uog.26244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Prenatal surgery is offered for selected fetuses with open spina bifida (OSB) to improve long-term outcome. We studied the effect of fetal OSB surgery on brain development using advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to quantify the volume, surface area and shape of cerebral structures and to analyze surface curvature by means of parameters that correspond to gyrification. METHODS We compared MRI data from 29 fetuses with OSB before fetal surgery (mean gestational age (GA), 23 + 3 weeks) and at 1 and 6 weeks after surgery, with that of 36 GA-matched control fetuses (GA range, 21 + 2 to 36 + 2 weeks). Automated super-resolution reconstruction provided three-dimensional isotropic volumetric brain images. Unmyelinated white matter, cerebellum and ventricles were segmented automatically and refined manually, after which volume, surface area and shape parameter (volume/surface area) were quantified. Mathematical markers (shape index (SI) and curvedness) were used to measure gyrification. Parameters were assessed according to lesion type (myelomeningocele vs myeloschisis (MS)), postoperative persistence of hindbrain herniation (HH) and the presence of supratentorial anomalies, namely partial agenesis of the corpus callosum (pACC) and heterotopia (HT). RESULTS Growth in ventricular volume per week and change in shape parameter per week were higher at 6 weeks after surgery in fetuses with OSB compared with controls (median, 2500.94 (interquartile range (IQR), 1689.70-3580.80) mm3 /week vs 708.21 (IQR, 474.50-925.00) mm3 /week; P < 0.001 and 0.075 (IQR, 0.047-0.112) mm/week vs 0.022 (IQR, 0.009-0.042) mm/week; P = 0.046, respectively). Ventricular volume growth increased 6 weeks after surgery in cases with pACC (P < 0.001) and those with persistent HH (P = 0.002). During that time period, the change in unmyelinated white-matter shape parameter per week was decreased in OSB fetuses compared with controls (0.056 (IQR, 0.044-0.092) mm/week vs 0.159 (IQR, 0.100-0.247) mm/week; P = 0.002), particularly in cases with persistent HH (P = 0.011), MS (P = 0.015), HT (P = 0.022), HT with corpus callosum anomaly (P = 0.017) and persistent HH with corpus callosum anomaly (P = 0.007). At 6 weeks postoperatively, despite OSB fetuses having a lower rate of change in curvedness compared with controls (0.061 (IQR, 0.040-0.093) mm-1 /week vs 0.094 (IQR, 0.070-0.146) mm-1 /week; P < 0.001), reversing the trend seen at 1 week after surgery (0.144 (IQR, 0.099-0.236) mm-1 /week vs 0.072 (IQR, 0.059-0.081) mm-1 /week; P < 0.001), gyrification, as determined using SI, appeared to be increased in OSB fetuses overall compared with controls. This observation was more prominent in fetuses with pACC and those with severe ventriculomegaly (P-value range, < 0.001 to 0.006). CONCLUSIONS Following fetal OSB repair, volume, shape and curvedness of ventricles and unmyelinated white matter differed significantly compared with those of normal fetuses. Morphological brain changes after fetal surgery were not limited to effects on the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid. These observations may have implications for postnatal neurocognitive outcome. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- N. Mufti
- Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's HealthUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences (BMEIS)King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - J. Chappell
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences (BMEIS)King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - M. Aertsen
- Department of RadiologyUniversity Hospitals Katholieke Universiteit (KU) LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - M. Ebner
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences (BMEIS)King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - L. Fidon
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences (BMEIS)King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - J. Deprest
- Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's HealthUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- Department of Obstetrics and GynaecologyUniversity Hospitals Katholieke Universiteit (KU) LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - A. L. David
- Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's HealthUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- Department of Obstetrics and GynaecologyUniversity Hospitals Katholieke Universiteit (KU) LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- National Institute for Health and Care Research University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research CentreLondonUK
| | - A. Melbourne
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences (BMEIS)King's College LondonLondonUK
- Medical Physics and Biomedical EngineeringUniversity College LondonLondonUK
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Cavalheiro S, da Costa MDS, Barbosa MM, Suriano IC, Ottaiano AC, de Andrade Lourenção Freddi T, Ferreira NPFD, Kusano CU, Dastoli PA, Nicácio JM, Sarmento SGP, Moron AF. Fetal neurosurgery. Childs Nerv Syst 2023; 39:2899-2927. [PMID: 37606832 DOI: 10.1007/s00381-023-06109-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
Among fetal surgical procedures, neurosurgery stands out due to the number of cases and the possibility of developing new procedures that can be performed in the fetal period. To perform fetal neurosurgical procedures, there is a need for specialized centers that have experts in the diagnosis of fetal pathologies and a highly complex obstetrics service with specialized maternal-fetal teams associated with a pediatric neurosurgery center with expertise in the diverse pathologies of the fetus and the central nervous system that offers multidisciplinary follow-up during postnatal life. Services that do not have these characteristics should refer their patients to these centers to obtain better treatment results. It is essential that the fetal neurosurgical procedure be performed by a pediatric neurosurgeon with extensive experience, as he will be responsible for monitoring these patients in the postnatal period and for several years. The objective of this manuscript is to demonstrate the diagnostic and treatment possibilities, in the fetal period, of some neurosurgical diseases such as hydrocephalus, tumors, occipital encephalocele, and myelomeningocele.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Cavalheiro
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Napoleão de Barros 715, 6th Floor, São Paulo, SP, 04024-002, Brazil
| | - Marcos Devanir Silva da Costa
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Napoleão de Barros 715, 6th Floor, São Paulo, SP, 04024-002, Brazil.
| | | | - Italo Capraro Suriano
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Napoleão de Barros 715, 6th Floor, São Paulo, SP, 04024-002, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Ottaiano
- Diagnostic Imaging Department, Neuroradiology Subdivision, Hospital do Coração, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Teleimaging, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Tomás de Andrade Lourenção Freddi
- Diagnostic Imaging Department, Neuroradiology Subdivision, Hospital do Coração, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Teleimaging, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Nelson Paes Fortes Diniz Ferreira
- Diagnostic Imaging Department, Neuroradiology Subdivision, Hospital do Coração, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Teleimaging, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Cid Ura Kusano
- Department of Fetal Medicine, Hosptial e Maternidade Santa Joana, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Patricia Alessandra Dastoli
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Napoleão de Barros 715, 6th Floor, São Paulo, SP, 04024-002, Brazil
| | - Jardel Mendonça Nicácio
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Napoleão de Barros 715, 6th Floor, São Paulo, SP, 04024-002, Brazil
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Uus AU, Hall M, Grigorescu I, Zampieri CA, Collado AE, Payette K, Matthew J, Kyriakopoulou V, Hajnal JV, Hutter J, Rutherford MA, Deprez M, Story L. 3D T2w fetal body MRI: automated organ volumetry, growth charts and population-averaged atlas. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.05.31.23290751. [PMID: 37398121 PMCID: PMC10312818 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.31.23290751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Structural fetal body MRI provides true 3D information required for volumetry of fetal organs. However, current clinical and research practice primarily relies on manual slice-wise segmentation of raw T2-weighted stacks, which is time consuming, subject to inter- and intra-observer bias and affected by motion-corruption. Furthermore, there are no existing standard guidelines defining a universal approach to parcellation of fetal organs. This work produces the first parcellation protocol of the fetal body organs for motion-corrected 3D fetal body MRI. It includes 10 organ ROIs relevant to fetal quantitative volumetry studies. We also introduce the first population-averaged T2w MRI atlas of the fetal body. The protocol was used as a basis for training of a neural network for automated organ segmentation. It showed robust performance for different gestational ages. This solution minimises the need for manual editing and significantly reduces time. The general feasibility of the proposed pipeline was also assessed by analysis of organ growth charts created from automated parcellations of 91 normal control 3T MRI datasets that showed expected increase in volumetry during 22-38 weeks gestational age range. In addition, the results of comparison between 60 normal and 12 fetal growth restriction datasets revealed significant differences in organ volumes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alena U. Uus
- School of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Megan Hall
- Centre for the Developing Brain, King’s College London, London, UK
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, King’s College London, London, UK
- Fetal Medicine Unit, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Irina Grigorescu
- School of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Carla Avena Zampieri
- Centre for the Developing Brain, King’s College London, London, UK
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, King’s College London, London, UK
| | | | - Kelly Payette
- School of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King’s College London, London, UK
- Centre for the Developing Brain, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Jacqueline Matthew
- School of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King’s College London, London, UK
- Centre for the Developing Brain, King’s College London, London, UK
| | | | - Joseph V. Hajnal
- School of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King’s College London, London, UK
- Centre for the Developing Brain, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Jana Hutter
- School of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King’s College London, London, UK
- Centre for the Developing Brain, King’s College London, London, UK
| | | | - Maria Deprez
- School of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Lisa Story
- Centre for the Developing Brain, King’s College London, London, UK
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, King’s College London, London, UK
- Fetal Medicine Unit, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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Malinger G, Prabhu A, Maroto González A, Brusilov M, Kidron D, Amster R, Birnbaum R, Krajden Haratz K. Fetal neurosonography as accurate tool for diagnosis of brain involvement in tuberous sclerosis. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2023; 62:391-397. [PMID: 37021742 DOI: 10.1002/uog.26213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To demonstrate the potential utility of dedicated neurosonography for the diagnosis of fetal brain involvement in tuberous sclerosis complex. METHODS This was a multicenter retrospective study of fetuses at high risk for tuberous sclerosis complex. Dedicated neurosonographic, fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and postnatal reports were reviewed. Data collected included reason for referral, gestational age at which cardiac rhabdomyoma was first suspected and final number of cardiac rhabdomyomas detected on dedicated imaging. We searched for tuberous sclerosis complex-related brain involvement, defined as the presence of one or more of the following findings: white-matter lesions; subependymal nodules; cortical/subcortical tubers; and subependymal giant-cell astrocytoma. RESULTS We included 20 patients at high risk of tuberous sclerosis complex, of whom 19 were referred for the presence of cardiac rhabdomyomas and one for a deletion in chromosome 16 involving the tuberous sclerosis complex gene locus. Cardiac rhabdomyomas were diagnosed at a mean gestational age of 27 + 2 weeks (range, 16 + 0 to 36 + 3 weeks) and the mean number of cardiac rhabdomyomas per patient was 4 (range, 1-10). Brain involvement was present in 15 fetuses, in 13 of which the disease was confirmed in one or more of the following ways: chromosomal microarray analysis (n = 1), exome sequencing (n = 7), autopsy (n = 4), clinical tuberous sclerosis complex in the newborn (n = 4) and a sibling diagnosed with clinical tuberous sclerosis complex (n = 1). In two cases, the disease could not be confirmed: one was lost to follow-up and autopsy, following termination of pregnancy, was not performed in the other. Among the five cases without brain findings, tuberous sclerosis complex was confirmed in three by exome sequencing (n = 2) and/or autopsy findings (n = 2). The two remaining cases had normal exome sequencing; one case had five cardiac rhabdomyomas, which was a highly suggestive finding, while in the final case, the autopsy was considered normal, representing the only false-positive case in our cohort. CONCLUSIONS Contrary to current literature, dedicated neurosonography appears to be effective in the diagnosis of brain involvement in fetuses at risk of tuberous sclerosis complex and should be used as the first-line approach. Although the number of cases in which MRI was performed was small, it seems that, in the presence of ultrasound findings, the added value of MRI is low. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Malinger
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Ultrasound Unit, Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - A Prabhu
- Apollo Center for Fetal Medicine, Indraprashta Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, India
| | | | - M Brusilov
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Ultrasound Unit, Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - D Kidron
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Pathology, Sapir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel
| | - R Amster
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Ultrasound Unit, Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - R Birnbaum
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Ultrasound Unit, Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - K Krajden Haratz
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Ultrasound Unit, Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Stuempflen M, Taymourtash A, Kienast P, Schmidbauer VU, Schwartz E, Mitter C, Binder J, Prayer D, Kasprian G. Ganglionic eminence: volumetric assessment of transient brain structure utilizing fetal magnetic resonance imaging. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2023; 62:405-413. [PMID: 37099530 DOI: 10.1002/uog.26232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To provide quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) super-resolution-based three-dimensional volumetric reference data on the growth dynamics of the ganglionic eminence (GE) relative to cortical and total fetal brain volumes (TBV). METHODS This was a retrospective study of fetuses without structural central nervous system anomalies or other confounding comorbidities that were referred for fetal MRI. Super-resolution reconstructions of 1.5- and 3-Tesla T2-weighted images were generated. Semiautomatic segmentation of TBV and cortical volume and manual segmentation of the GE were performed. Cortical volume, TBV and GE volume were quantified and three-dimensional reconstructions were generated to visualize the developmental dynamics of the GE. RESULTS Overall, 120 fetuses that underwent 127 MRI scans at a mean gestational age of 27.23 ± 4.81 weeks (range, 20-37 weeks) were included. In the investigated gestational-age range, GE volume ranged from 74.88 to 808.75 mm3 and was at its maximum at 21 gestational weeks, followed by a linear decrease (R2 = 0.559) throughout the late second and third trimesters. A pronounced reduction in GE volume relative to cortical volume and TBV occurred in the late second trimester, with a decline in this reduction observed in the third trimester (R2 = 0.936 and 0.924, respectively). Three-dimensional rendering allowed visualization of a continuous change in the shape and size of the GE throughout the second and third trimesters. CONCLUSIONS Even small compartments of the fetal brain, which are not easily accessible by standardized two-dimensional modalities, can be assessed precisely by super-resolution processed fetal MRI. The inverse growth dynamics of GE volume compared with TBV and cortical volume reflects the transitory nature and physiological involution of this (patho-)physiologically important brain structure. The normal development and involution of the GE is mandatory for normal cortical development. Pathological changes of this transient organ precede impairment of cortical structures, and their detection may allow an earlier diagnosis of such anomalies. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Stuempflen
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - A Taymourtash
- Computational Imaging Research Lab, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - P Kienast
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - V U Schmidbauer
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - E Schwartz
- Computational Imaging Research Lab, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - C Mitter
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - J Binder
- Department of Obstetrics and Feto-maternal Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - D Prayer
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - G Kasprian
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Manganaro L, Capuani S, Gennarini M, Miceli V, Ninkova R, Balba I, Galea N, Cupertino A, Maiuro A, Ercolani G, Catalano C. Fetal MRI: what's new? A short review. Eur Radiol Exp 2023; 7:41. [PMID: 37558926 PMCID: PMC10412514 DOI: 10.1186/s41747-023-00358-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (fetal MRI) is usually performed as a second-level examination following routine ultrasound examination, generally exploiting morphological and diffusion MRI sequences. The objective of this review is to describe the novelties and new applications of fetal MRI, focusing on three main aspects: the new sequences with their applications, the transition from 1.5-T to 3-T magnetic field, and the new applications of artificial intelligence software. This review was carried out by consulting the MEDLINE references (PubMed) and including only peer-reviewed articles written in English. Among the most important novelties in fetal MRI, we find the intravoxel incoherent motion model which allow to discriminate the diffusion from the perfusion component in fetal and placenta tissues. The transition from 1.5-T to 3-T magnetic field allowed for higher quality images, thanks to the higher signal-to-noise ratio with a trade-off of more frequent artifacts. The application of motion-correction software makes it possible to overcome movement artifacts by obtaining higher quality images and to generate three-dimensional images useful in preoperative planning.Relevance statementThis review shows the latest developments offered by fetal MRI focusing on new sequences, transition from 1.5-T to 3-T magnetic field and the emerging role of AI software that are paving the way for new diagnostic strategies.Key points• Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a second-line imaging after ultrasound.• Diffusion-weighted imaging and intravoxel incoherent motion sequences provide quantitative biomarkers on fetal microstructure and perfusion.• 3-T MRI improves the detection of cerebral malformations.• 3-T MRI is useful for both body and nervous system indications.• Automatic MRI motion tracking overcomes fetal movement artifacts and improve fetal imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Manganaro
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Umberto I Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
| | - Silvia Capuani
- National Research Council (CNR),, Institute for Complex Systems (ISC) c/o Physics Department Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Gennarini
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Umberto I Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Miceli
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Umberto I Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberta Ninkova
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Umberto I Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Nicola Galea
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Umberto I Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Angelica Cupertino
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Umberto I Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Maiuro
- National Research Council (CNR),, Institute for Complex Systems (ISC) c/o Physics Department Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giada Ercolani
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Umberto I Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Catalano
- Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Umberto I Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Werner H, Santos IF, Giraldi GA, Lopes J, Ribeiro G, Lopes FP. Fetal magnetic resonance imaging artifacts: role of deep learning to improve imaging. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2023; 62:302-303. [PMID: 36840982 DOI: 10.1002/uog.26185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- H Werner
- Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa, Dasa (IEPD), Brazil
- BiodesignLab Dasa/PUC-Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - I Félix Santos
- Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica, Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - G A Giraldi
- Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica, Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - J Lopes
- BiodesignLab Dasa/PUC-Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - G Ribeiro
- BiodesignLab Dasa/PUC-Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - F P Lopes
- Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa, Dasa (IEPD), Brazil
- BiodesignLab Dasa/PUC-Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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An P, Song L, Song P, Zhang J, Lin Y, Feng G, Liu J. Exploring the Role of Modified Vascular Anatomical Molding (MVAM) in Prenatal Diagnosis Teaching and Prognosis Prediction of Fetal Complex Congenital Heart Disease (CCHD): A Preliminary Study. Int J Gen Med 2023; 16:3229-3245. [PMID: 37546241 PMCID: PMC10403051 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s421751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective The present study aimed to explore the role of modified vascular anatomical molding (MVAM) in prenatal diagnosis teaching and prognosis prediction of fetal complex congenital heart disease (CCHD). Methods Step 1, MVAM method was used to cast the micro-blood vessels and trachea of 52 CCHD specimens. Subsequently, 52 MVAMs were analyzed and compared with the prenatal ultrasound to summarize their characteristics, misdiagnosis and MVAM's teaching role. Step 2, the surgical and follow-up data of 206 CCHD cases were retrospectively analyzed. Cases that evolved into critical illnesses or died within 1-3 years after surgery (poor prognosis) were classified into the study group (n = 77) and those with good prognosis into the control group (n = 129), which were split into the training set and the test set in the ratio 7:3 based on the time cut-off. In the training set, the prognosis of CCHD was predicted using the MVAM anatomical soft markers (distortion and narrowing of aorta/pulmonary artery, right ventricular infundibulum, etc.) and the decision curve analysis (DCA) performed. The model was validated using the test set, and a nomogram was finally established. Results It was observed that all 52 CCHD cases were confirmed using MVAM. A total of 91 cardiac malformations were recorded, among which 41 malformations were misdiagnosed, and 29 malformations were missed by the prenatal echocardiography. The MVAM method has a good teaching/feedback effect on prenatal diagnosis. The combined model exhibited a higher predictive performance in the training- and test-set. Its high clinical net benefit was proved by DCA. Additionally, the nomogram established using the combined model received a favorable response in clinical practice. Conclusion The research results indicated that MVAM improved the prenatal diagnosis teaching and training performance. The combined model established based on MVAM anatomical soft markers can offer a high clinical significance for prognosis prediction of CCHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng An
- Department of Radiology, Xiangyang No.1 People’s Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, 441000, People’s Republic of China
- Hubei Provincial Clinical Research Center for Accurate Fetus Malformation Diagnosis, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, Hubei Province, 441000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lina Song
- Department of Radiology, Xiangyang No.1 People’s Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, 441000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ping Song
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xiangyang No. 1 People’s Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, 441000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Junyan Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Xiangyang No.1 People’s Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, 441000, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xiangyang No. 1 People’s Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, 441000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yong Lin
- Department of Radiology, Xiangyang No.1 People’s Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, 441000, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xiangyang No. 1 People’s Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, 441000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guoyan Feng
- Department of Radiology, Xiangyang No.1 People’s Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, 441000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Junjie Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xiangyang No. 1 People’s Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Xiangyang, 441000, People’s Republic of China
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Wang JT, Chang TY. Ultrasound Assessment of the Fetal Optic Chiasm. J Med Ultrasound 2023; 31:195-200. [PMID: 38025017 PMCID: PMC10668906 DOI: 10.4103/jmu.jmu_69_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
This article reviews the literature on different methods of prenatal ultrasound visualization of the optic chiasm (OC) and its applications. Prenatal imaging of the OC is feasible from 19 to 37 weeks of gestation. Evaluation of the OC has been shown crucial in differentiating isolated agenesis of the septum pellucidum from septo-optic dysplasia. Multiple methods can be applied for imaging of the OC, including three-dimensional and two-dimensional ultrasounds in different views, as well as color Doppler. According to the literature, both transabdominal and transvaginal routes produce equally acceptable images. OC visualization might be challenging but can be achieved by developing a standard scanning protocol and raising awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jo-Ting Wang
- Department of Fetal Medicine, Taiji Clinic, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tung-Yao Chang
- Department of Fetal Medicine, Taiji Clinic, Taipei, Taiwan
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Gaunt T, Sokolska M. Physiological assessment of the fetal body using MRI: current uses and potential directions. Br J Radiol 2023; 96:20221024. [PMID: 37310734 PMCID: PMC10321255 DOI: 10.1259/bjr.20221024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
MRI assessment of the fetus using fast T2-weighted sequences is well established in defining alterations in fetal anatomy and structure, as a biomarker for disease, and in some cases prognostication. To date, the physiological assessment of the fetus using advanced sequences to characterise tissue perfusion and microarchitecture has largely been unused. Current methods of assessing fetal organ function are invasive and carry inherent risk. Therefore, the identification of imaging biomarkers of altered fetal physiology, and correlation with postnatal outcome, is attractive. This review describes the techniques which show promise for such a task and potential future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor Gaunt
- Department of Radiology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Magdalena Sokolska
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
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Nemec SF, Schwarz-Nemec U, Prayer D, Weber M, Bettelheim D, Kasprian G. Femur development in fetal growth restriction as observed on prenatal magnetic resonance imaging. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2023; 61:601-609. [PMID: 36445348 DOI: 10.1002/uog.26133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate human femur development in fetal growth restriction (FGR) by analyzing femur morphometrics and distal epimetaphyseal features on prenatal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS This was a retrospective study of 111 fetuses (mean gestational age (GA), 27 + 2 weeks (range, 19-35 weeks)) with FGR associated with placental insufficiency without other major abnormalities and 111 GA-matched normal controls. On 1.5-Tesla echoplanar MRI, femur morphometrics, including diaphyseal length, epiphyseal length and epiphyseal width, were assessed. Using a previously reported grading system, epimetaphyseal features, including cartilaginous epiphyseal shape, metaphyseal shape and epiphyseal ossification, were analyzed qualitatively. To compare FGR cases and controls, the paired t-test was used to assess morphometrics, generalized estimating equations were used for epimetaphyseal features and time-to-event analysis was used to assess the visibility of epiphyseal ossification. RESULTS There were significant differences in femur morphometrics between FGR cases and controls (all parameters, P < 0.001), with bone shortening observed in FGR. No significant differences were found in the distribution of epimetaphyseal features between FGR cases and controls (epiphyseal shape, P = 0.341; metaphyseal shape, P = 0.782; epiphyseal ossification, P = 0.85). Epiphyseal ossification was visible at a median of 33.6 weeks in FGR cases and at 32.1 weeks in controls (P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS On prenatal MRI, cases with FGR associated with placental insufficiency exhibit diaphyseal and epiphyseal shortening of the femur. However, FGR cases and normal controls share similarly graded distal epimetaphyseal features. Consequently, these features may not be appropriate MRI characteristics for the identification of FGR. © 2022 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- S F Nemec
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - U Schwarz-Nemec
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - D Prayer
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - M Weber
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - D Bettelheim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Obstetrics and Feto-Maternal Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - G Kasprian
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Kienast P, Prayer D, Binder J, Prayer F, Dekan S, Langthaler E, Eichinger S, Stuempflen M, Mitter C, Kasprian G. SARS-CoV-2 variant-related abnormalities detected by prenatal MRI: direct or indirect effects of the infection must be demonstrated-Authors' reply. THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. EUROPE 2023; 28:100618. [PMID: 36959911 PMCID: PMC10023166 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2023.100618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Patric Kienast
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniela Prayer
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Binder
- Department of Obstetrics and Feto-Maternal Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Florian Prayer
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sabine Dekan
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Labor Becker München, Germany
| | - Eva Langthaler
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sabine Eichinger
- Division of Hematology and Hemostaseology, Department of Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marlene Stuempflen
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian Mitter
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gregor Kasprian
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Corresponding author. Universitätsklinik für Radiologie und Nuklearmedizin, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Wien, Austria.
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Sepulveda W, Sepulveda F, Ranzini AC. Role of Fetal Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Differentiating Isolated Septal Agenesis from Septo-Optic Dysplasia: Case Study and Review. Fetal Diagn Ther 2023; 50:165-174. [PMID: 37015213 DOI: 10.1159/000530468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The detection of absent septi pellucidi (ASP) during obstetric ultrasound is a rare event. However, the clinical implications of this finding are significant. ASP can be associated with severe central nervous system anomalies such as holoprosencephaly, agenesis/dysgenesis of the corpus callosum, schizencephaly, severe ventriculomegaly, and open neural tube defects. In such cases, the prognosis is poor. When no such anomalies are identified, isolated ASP usually carries a good prognosis. However, some fetuses thought to have isolated ASP actually have septo-optic dysplasia (SOD), which is associated with optic nerve hypoplasia, hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction, and developmental delay. CASE PRESENTATION A case in which fetal 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was considered crucial to definitively diagnose isolated ASP is presented. A review of the literature was conducted and analyzed to determine the role of MRI in the evaluation of fetuses with ASP, with special consideration on the differential diagnosis between isolated ASP and SOD. CONCLUSION Differentiating isolated ASP from SOD is imperative for adequate prenatal counseling. Unfortunately, making a prenatal diagnosis of SOD requires visualization and evaluation of the fetal optic nerves, chiasm, and pituitary gland, which is very demanding and not always possible using ultrasound. Fetal MRI has the potential of obtaining high-quality images of the fetal brain, and therefore this technique can be used for establishing the differential diagnosis in utero.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waldo Sepulveda
- FETALMED-Maternal-Fetal Diagnostic Center, Fetal Imaging Unit, Santiago, Chile
| | - Francisco Sepulveda
- FETALMED-Maternal-Fetal Diagnostic Center, Fetal Imaging Unit, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Neuroradiology, Institute of Neurosurgery "Dr. Alfonso Asenjo", National Health Service, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Radiology, Clinica Alemana, Santiago, Chile
| | - Angela C Ranzini
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The MetroHealth System, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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